A Phased Approach to Paving
The Steenberg Hotel and Spa in Cape Town, approached us to undertake a major renovation of their driveway and pathways. The challenge was to find the right product that would match the surrounding, be aesthetically pleasing, and also be long-lasting and durable.
Phase 1 of the renovation was the driveway and entrance to the hotel. The old paving slabs were not ideal for a driveway and had to be excavated and replaced with a mix of cobbles in charcoal (105 x 105) with a border of 156×156 cobbles. The driveway was almost half a kilometre long, so it was important to compact it to ensure it could withstand heavy commercial traffic. The team had to be careful of the hedges on the sides of the driveway.
Preparation and paving of Phase 1 - Entrance
Phase 2 Pathways
Phase 2 was the pathway to the Catharina Restaurant. The old clay pavers were looking dated and dirty, so the team decided to modernize the pathway and make it more upmarket. They used the same mix of cobbles as the driveway and ensured it was uniform and matching. This phase was time-sensitive as the restaurant was still operational and the team had only 3 days to complete it. They made sure to keep the site clean and minimize noise and mess.
Phase 3 and 4
Phase 3 involved paving all the pathways to the hotel rooms. The team used the same mix of cobbles and border as the other phases and completed the renovation while the hotel was still fully functional. The old clay bricks were looking old and dated, so these were replaced with the new cobbles. They had 4 days to pave around 500 square meters and made sure not to damage any building, paintwork, or gardens.
The final phase was the patio at the Barn (main reception area) and the interleading roads to the far room parking. The team removed the old clay bricks and replaced them with 600 x 400 charcoal slabs. Compaction had to be done correctly while the hotel, spa, and restaurant were still fully functional.
This project took 6 years to complete as each phase had to be carefully planned and executed around the busy hotel seasons. The end result was a beautiful, modern, and durable driveway and pathway system that matches the Steenberg Hotel and Spa’s upscale visual appeal.
